Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Players of the Week
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois RHP Riley Gowens was one of 12 players named Collegiate Baseball Newspaper National Player of the Week, the publication announced Monday. The recognition comes a day after Illinois' 11th no-hitter in its 142-year program history.
Gowens (7.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 6 SO) started Sunday's 1-0 combined no-hitter victory over Purdue. Ryan O'Hara and Cole Kirschsieper came out of the bullpen to finish the no-hitter.
Gowens is pitching his first season of collegiate baseball after missing the last two seasons due to Tommy John surgery. This season, Gowens is 1-2 with a 4.60 ERA (31.1 IP, 16 ER) in seven starts.
Gowens is the first Illinois pitcher in program history to receive a Collegiate Baseball Newspaper National Player of the Week honor. INF/OF Bren Spillane earned the honor twice during the 2018 season and is the only other Illinois player to receive the award.
Notes
• Illinois threw their 11th no-hitter in its 142-year program history and first ever on the road. It was the first since "Boo" Champagne vs. Bradley on April 24, 1985.
• Illinois has now thrown three no-hitters on April 25 (Gowens/O'Hara/Kirschsieper at Purdue on April 25, 2021, Sanford/Foss/Gregory vs. St. Joseph's (Ind.) on April 25, 1967, Charles Schiller vs. Chicago on April 25, 1942).
• The no-hitter was the second combined no-hitter in program history (Sanford/Foss/Gregory vs. St. Joseph's (Ind.) on April 25, 1967).
• It was the fourth no-hitter Illinois has recorded in a conference game (Doug Mills vs. Wisconsin on April 29, 1961, Charles Schiller vs. Chicago on April 25, 1942, Woodward "Red" Gunkel vs. Ohio State 5/5/1916).
• Illinois completed their first sweep of the season at Purdue and first since May 10-12, 2019 vs. Purdue. It was their first Big Ten series sweep on the road since March 23-25, 2018 at Northwestern.
